Sometimes What You See, Isn't What You Get
by January2
Summary: "Even the nastiest person finds it hard to react fearfully or angrily to someone who makes them feel loved and appreciated"


**DISCLAIMERS:** I never wanted to own Card Captor Sakura in the first place. But I think I would enjoy writing a fanfic. So obviously CCS isn't mine, just borrowing the characters.

January's note:

The idea suddenly popped out of my mind when I was writing a fic on HYD. 

I changed the sweet and innocent Sakura in here.

So let's see how Syaoran will handle a different Sakura, okie?

Here it goes, hope you'll like it.

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**CHAPTER ONE**

**ERR . . .**

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"What is this?" 

A young, pretty and petite girl of seventeen slouched on the wooden chair and stared at her father who's sitting in his desk in front of her. After blinking many times, she raised her feet and rested it on the other chair in front of her, her lazy eyes battling with his father's angry ones.

"Dad, since Touya and I started going to school, or even way before we were born, I am pretty sure that you know that thing called a 'report card' which is in your hands right now."

Mr. Kinomoto frowned. "And shouldn't I be surprised that you flunked - let me see – one, two, three . . ." he counted in a gentle but dangerous tone. "And four. You flunked four of your subjects. Plus I was called at the Guidance office only to be informed that next school year, you'll be under probation for your behavior, tardiness and academics," this time he slammed the report card on his desk. "Is there something wrong, Sakura?"

Sakura Kinomoto shrugged. "Nothing at all," she put down her feet and sat up straight. "Listen, dad-"

"No, you listen to me young miss," he cut her off, and then pointed a finger on her casually. "I won't tolerate you and your weird habits anymore. I'm tired and sick of putting up with you. You're grounded until you improve you grades." He said with authority.

"What?" Sakura exclaimed, not moving from her chair. "You can't do that, dad, not to me-"

"Oh, yes I can dear. And I WILL." He cut her off again.

Sakura clenched her fists. Can't her daddy understand that she can never do what he expected from her? She's tired and pissed at everything around her. She wanted to get out of the house and the last thing she needed right now was what her father had said.

"I'm going," that's the only thing that came out from her mouth. She was about to stand up when her father spoke again.

"Sit down, Sakura." He commanded. He saw anger passed through her eyes before she could hide it and quietly sat down. He cleared his throat. "Sakura, your mother had passed away many years ago-"

"Are we in to it again?" she calmly said, but with slight irritation in her tone. "You don't have to remind that to me every time I get into trouble. I caused it and I'm gonna get out unscathed."

"I don't know what to do with you, honey," Mr. Kinomoto said exasperatedly. He stared at her with weary and exhausted eyes. "I tried to put up with you, and accept whatever you want to do since you are still young. But your studies are entirely different."

"I'll do better next time." She said casually.

"I've heard that line a lot of times already. I think its time for you to change your ways."

"I said I'll do better next time," she said between her teeth. "Trust me."

"But that's the problem! I can't bring myself to trust you anymore," he slammed his hand on the wooden table. "I've had enough of you Sakura Kinomoto. I don't know where your mother and I have gone wrong in raising you that way, but always put it in mind that I'm doing this for your own good, and your mother's always watching, you now that."

There was a long silence.

"So I'm still grounded?" she asked afterwards.

Her father sighed heavily. "I have to do it. Yes, you are grounded until you improve your grades."

"I can't go out with my friends?" she tried to be calm. She doesn't want to show disrespect to her father so she controlled herself.

"You can go out with your friends, but you will have a curfew and you're not allowed to go out on schooldays. You go straight home after school." That was said with finality that she didn't get to cut him off.

She gritted her teeth and quietly rose from her seat, walked towards the door, opened it and slammed it shut. 

Mr. Kinomoto took off his glasses and threw it on the desk, massaging his temples. He picked up hi wife's picture frame and leaned on high-back swivel chair.

"Darling, I don't know if I did the right thing. Your daughter's getting worse . . ." he placed the frame on his lips, kissing her wife's smiling face. "Sometimes I thought whether she's a gift or a curse . . . but I love her, and I know I'm doing this for the best . . ."

* * *

Touya had just entered the house when he heard a soft banging upstairs. He went up and found Sakura kicking the wall in front of their father's private office. He smirked and went near his sister.

"What's the matter? One of your bad hair days?" he teased.

She turned harshly at him. "Shut up, it's none of your business," then she bent down and tied her shoelace.

"Of course, it's my business, dear sister. What else would make you so pissed off but your oh-so-low grades?" the smirk didn't leave his lips when she didn't answer. "Ah, I know now. You're finally grounded for the first time?"

She stood up and shouted at him. "Fuck off!" and then she marched towards her room.

Touya put both of his hands in his pockets as he watched his sister sauntered inside her room and slammed it shut, making him wince. He sighed. Why, his sister's a resident World War commander! Boyish, outgoing, war-freak, sporty, sharp-tongued, you name it.

But nevertheless, her intimidating nature never failed to attract male species. And though he really wanted to act as her elder brother and protect her from bad guys, suitors and everything, oh well, that never happened because she simply brushes them off like flies. And protect her from bad guys? Heh. She's the bad one.

And, well . . . his only consolation is that he gets to tease her 24/7, and never failed to get a violent reaction from his nasty sister. But really, he often wondered why his sister grew up to be very different from the rest of the ordinary girls.

Maybe like his mother said when she was still alive, Sakura's a very special and different girl. 

Different? Sure.

Special? . . . Forget it.

Or was it his fault that his sister grew up that way?

Sighing, he decided to enter his father's office and found him leaning on his swivel chair clutching his mum's picture frame in his chest. 

Mr. Kinomoto raised his head when he heard him enter. Smiling faintly, he rose up and placed the frame back on the table. "Just arrived home?"

"Yeah, I came from Yukito's place. I saw Sakura in the hallway," he smirked and sat on the chair Sakura occupied a while ago.

Mr. Kinomoto sighed and handed him Sakura's report card. "She's getting worse than I thought, that young lady,"

Touya scanned the card before him and then, "Four flunked subjects?!" he exclaimed. "That girl needs a good spanking, I daresay. What do you think, dad?"

"I've got an idea, Touya, but I don't know if it will work," Mr. Kinomoto suggested.

"What is it? Don't tell me I'm gonna spy on her," he cocked and eyebrow and stared at his father, who seriously stared back.

Then after a moment of silence, "I was thinking of calling the Lis."

This time, both of Touya's brows rose up. "Li? What was he gonna do with Sakura's dilemma?"

"Mr. Li is Sakura's godfather, mind you, Touya," Mr. Kinomoto faintly smiled at his son's reaction. "And we've been friends for so long. He phoned me the other day and mentioned that he's going to send his son here in Japan to study, so I thought it would be a good idea to . . ."

"What?" Touya cut him off, merely believing what his father has just said. "Are you talking about Li Syaoran? That nasty little twit? Am I really thinking what I think you're thinking?"

Mr. Kinomoto let out a soft chuckle. "Isn't your sister cut from the same cloth as Syaoran?"

"But dad, that moron-"

"I heard he grew up to be a very fine young man, Touya," his dad's eye glinted. "Different from what he was when he was younger. Yes I admit that that boy was really arrogant and a bit nasty when they paid us a visit from Hong Kong for I guess twelve years ago. Very snobbish and stubborn, I say, but I got to talk to him when I went to Honk Kong last month, and I tell you son, he'll kick the hell out of Sakura once they met," and then he smirked

Touya was speechless for a while. Was he seeing and hearing right? "Uh, dad, you seemed so confident about that Syaoran kid, don't you think?" 

"Just leave it to me, Touya. I'm positive about him."

Touya snorted. "I don't think so, dad. Sakura and that dirtbag? I bet that Syaoran can't do it. He'll raise the white flag even before the month ends. He wouldn't stand Sakura, I think nobody would win over her. Well, I am an exception for that."

"We will see about that, dear son," 

"What's that? Are you willing to bet?" there's excitement in his tone as leaned on the table, didn't cared if his dad answered or not. "If I win, you'll double my allowance," then a confident grin graced his lips.

"That is if you win," his dad returned his smile with a faint, but knowing one. "If Syaoran succeeds in making some changes in Sakura, well . . ." he paused for a while, and then, "I guess you have to be in charge of the house for a month, you know, laundry, cooking and everything . . ." his eyes were teasing.

Touya went still. The last thing he wanted was to do is a single household chore in their house, and his excuses about his loads of schoolwork was really effective, leaving Sakura to do all the work in the house. He bet his sister would be having a party once she found out that he'll be in charge of the house for a month.

Mr. Kinomoto cleared his throat. "So, is it a deal?"

Touya composed himself and smirk, "Okay. But make sure you'll double my allowance next month, that's a whole lot of money, dad."

"Don't be so overconfident about your sister, son, all women has their own ticklish spot." And then he winked at him. "Or it's what you call weaknesses."

"Like you're expert when it comes to women," Touya scowled as he rose from his seat. "I'll be locking up in my room, loads of projects, dad, and the usual. I bet Sakura won't be going down for dinner tonight, so I think it's better if you cook your own food."

Mr. Kinomoto barely nodded and watched his son as he strode out of the room, muttering. He caught words like 'Sakura won't lose' and 'doubled allowance' as the door in his office closed.

_Oh well, _he thought as he reached for his cordless phone. _Time to let him know, _and then he started dialing his good friend's number in Hong Kong.

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END OF CHAPTER ONE

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Okay, I don't know if this idea sucks or what. Just tell me what you think and I'll do my best.

And . . . I forgot Mr. Kinomoto's name! (How could I ever forget that??) I've watched Card Captor Sakura a long time ago, and I completely forgot it, even her friends. I dunno either if I spelled Li's and Touya's name correctly.

Sigh . . .

So if anyone of you who are kind enough to let me know about the things I **don't know**, I'm BEGGING YOU! LET ME KNOW! TELL ME! 

Please? ~. (with sugar hearts on top?) It's okay though if not . . . just as long as you read and review . . .

Okay, okay, 'nuff said.


End file.
